ChargePod – Taming Charger Madness

The MC Office received a ChargePod demo unit recently. I saw it sitting on a table and couldn’t immediately identify it. The unit looks like a silver air hockey puck with seven holes around its edge. You plug the puck either into an AC outlet or your car (via an adapter) to power it up. You then have six “power ports” to charge any and all of your batter operated devices. The unit ships with three included “adapter tips” to connect it to an iPhone/iPod, cell phone (mini-USB) and camera (micro-USB). Also included is a coupon redeemable for a free fourth adapter of your choice via the CallPod web site.

At first glance, I thought it was yet more cool but useless technology until I started packing up for a weekend soccer tournament road trip. I looked in my travel bag and realized that I was already carrying:

– 2 iPod chargers – one for car and one for connecting to my laptop

– 2 cell phone (BlackBerry) chargers – one for car and one for an AC outlet

– 1 digital camera charger

I put the ChargePod in its carrying case along with the three adaptor tips and I was now all set. Simple technology that works – TechDadCentral approves!

Ron Remy